Attachment for



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APPLICATION FILED DEC* I9. |918.

WITNESS Ill/5E 5w/mf:

JOHN C. DURHAM, OF RENO, NEVADA.

ATTACHMENT FOR APPLYING AND RE-MGVING CAPS FROM JARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application led December 19, 1918. Serial No. 267,487.

T 0 all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN C. DURHAM7 a citizen of the United States, residing at Reno, in the county of `Washoe and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Applying and Removing Caps from Jars. of which the following is a specification.

rilhe hereinafter described invention is designed more particularly for the applying and the removal of the metallic caps of fruit jars, as, for instance` the Mason fruit jar, or that type 0f jar wherein a rubber gasket is employed for forming the hermetic seal union between the shoulder of the jar and the threaded extension of the cap; although the invention is not restricted as to use in connection with fruit jars.

As is well known. where the house-wife is preserving fruit and confining the same within glass jars, it is essential that the cap or cover be securely united thereto in order to form a hermetic seal, by the employment of the rubber gasket interposed between the threaded extension of the cap and the shoulder-of the jar, for if a perfect hermetic seal is not formed, the fruit within the jar, within a short while aft-er the sealing` of the jar, ferments and the fruit is spoiled. Various devices have been designed for securing the cap securely to the jar, but in the use thereof, due to the construction of such devices, when the requisite pressure is applied to the cap to screw the same firmly onto the threaded section of the jar, the strain placed on the metallic cap causes a mutilation thereof, and in many cases renders the cap unfit for future use.

V'Vhere the cap is firmly secured to the jar for the hermetic sealing thereof for the proper preservation of the food contents difliculty is experienced in the removal of the cap for the opening of the jar. and where mechanical devices are utilized for the unscrewing of the cap, the pressure applied causes a mutilation of the cap and renders the same unfit for future use.

The object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and e'ective device for the securing of the cap tothe jar under a severe pressure strain, and this without causing injury to the metallic cap, and at the same time to provide for the removal of the cap under a pressure strain applied thereto, and to do so without injury to the cap, or in other words Without a mutilation of the threads of the threaded extension of the cap.

To comprehend the invention. reference should be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure l is a part sectional plan view illustrating the attachment as applied to the metallic cap or cover of a jar and positioned for securing the said cap to the jar.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts disclosed by Fig. l of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings. the numeral l designates a suitably constructed handle of a length to provide the requisite purchase for the operator, which handle preferably is formed of metal and terminates in a segmental tooth aw section 2` there being interposed between the handle proper and the segmental jaw section an enlarged frame member 3, which member is provided with an open section 4.

It will be understood that the handle l, the jaw section 2 and the enlarged frame member 3 are formed as an integral structure or from a single piece of metal. To the frame member 3 there is riveted or otherwise secured one end of a flexible band or cincture 5, the said cincture extending through the open section 4 and the free end thereof returning,l through the said opening` so as to provide a loop G which is adapted to be placed over the threaded extension or neck 7 of the cap 8 to be secured to the jar 9. When thus positioned, the strap or cincture is drawn tight to firmly embrace the threaded extension of the cap 8, and the free end thereof held by the operator when grasping the handle l. The segmental jaW 2 with the cincture thus positioned bears on the outer surface of the said band or cincture and on a pulling strain being applied to the handle, the jaw 2 bears onto the band or.

cincture and holds the same securely to the threaded extension of the cap 8. thus causing a frictional strain to be placed onto the band or cincture relative to the threaded extension of the metallic cap and causing the same to turn with the pressure applied to the handle, and by so doing to firmly screw down onto the rubber gasket 10 interposed between the threaded extension of the cap and the shoulder 11 of the jar.

Inasmuch as the band or cincture 5 is formed of leather or suitable fabric material, it is apparent that the pressure applied thereto in no manner injures or mutiiates the threads of the metallic cap, and it is also apparent that by reason of the frictional engagement of the band or cincture with the threaded extension of the metallic cap. that the said cap turns or screws onto the threaded portion of t-he jar with the turning pressure applied to the handle l, and by turning pressure is meant the screwing action of the attachment.

To remove the cap or cover from the ar where the same sticks too tightly for the ready removal thereof by hand7 it is only necessary to reverse the position of the attachment to the position which it assumes when screwing the cap or cover to the jar, so that when pressure is applied to the handle l, the strain placed on the cap or cover through the medium of the band or cincture is the reverse of that applied when securing the cap or cover to the jar. The enlarged member or section 3 of the attachment serves as the fulcrum point for the handle 1, and the jaw 2 is the lever mem-ber of the attachment, the toothed undersurface of the jaw 2 acting to bite onto the band or cincture to prevent the slippage of the said band or cincture from within the open portion. #L of the member 3.

The metallic portion of the attachment may be constructed of any suitable metal and of any desired weight which will give the requisite strength against breakage to the pressure applied thereon. Preferably, one end of the band or cincture 5 is riveted to the enlarged section or member 3 of the attachment, although the saine may be united thereto in any other well known manner.

It will be understood that the length of the band or cincture is such as to permit of the same encircling caps or covers of varying diameters, so that the attachment as constructed and placed on the market is capable of acting on jars of varying sizes.

In case of a. breakage or damage to the band or cincture 5, the same may be removed and a new band or cincture substituted therefor, so that the attachment is capable of indefinite use.

The described attachment may be manufactured and placed on the market at a nominal expense, and provides a quick and easily applied means for securing caps or covers to jars for the herinetical sealing thereof, and for the removal of the cap or cover from the jars; thus providing for the hermetical sealing of the jars by the housewife for the preserving of fruits or other food products and permitting the house-wife to remove or unscrew the cap or cover when desiring to open a jar, and to do so with the least possible effort.

IVhile I have described and illustrated the invention as applied for the attaching and removal of the metallic cap or cover from fruit jars, it is apparent that its use is not so restricted but that the saine may be used for the unscrewing of caps or covers from containers, and for the screwingor unscrewing of members generally. AIt will be noted that during the use ofthe attachment, that the segmental aw or member 2 gives a firm bite onto the band or cincture and holds the same against slipping, and thereby causes the full frictional strain of the band or cincture to be applied to the member to be tightened or loosened,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is A wrench including an elongated body formed at one end with a handle and terminating at its opposite end in an integral curved jaw section formed on its inner curved face with teeth, said body member being provided between said handle and jaw with a relatively fiat connecting portion integral with said jaw and handle and provided with an elongated opening, a flexible band, means for securing one end of said band to said connecting member, said band arranged with its free end passing through said opening and forming a loop at one side only of said jaw with the free portion of said band forming loop lying adjacent the inner curved toothed face of said aw, whereby said curved jaw partially embraces the member operated on and forces the free end of the band forming the loop into tight frictional Contact with the member operated on.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscibing witnesses.

JOHN C. DURHAM.

Titnesses l N. A. ACKER, D. B. RICHARDS. 

